After going 3-1 in last week’s Wild Card games, I’m ready to make my picks for this week’s matchups. Let me just say that I’d take any of the AFC teams over any of the NFC teams. That said, each game this weekend should be a good one.
AFC
Patriots at Chargers – I have a tough time with this one. I know the Chargers were an NFL best 14-2. I know LT was the most dominant force in the league this season. I know Shawn Merriman will be playing with a chip on his shoulder after Miami’s Jason Taylor was named Defensive Player of the year. I know all of that. But I still wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pats pull the upset here. It’s tough to ever pick against Billichik and Brady. Despite Philip Rivers’ lack of playoff experience, despite Marty’s litany of playoff missteps, I’ll go with the rest of the crowd and take the Chargers. But it’ll be a close one: Chargers, 27-23.
Colts at Ravens – I like the Ravens in this one. I picked the Colts to hold serve against a tough Chiefs team last week, but not this time. I’ve said it before, but I like the Ravens in the Super Bowl. McNair’s a gamer, the D is tough and I can’t see the Colts run defense playing like it did last week. I’ll take the Ravens in their building, 19-14.
NFC
Eagles at Saints – The Eagles are the hottest team in the NFC these days. I undersold their solid run game when I picked the Giants last week (although NY gave a valiant, albeit failing, effort.) But the Saints are my NFC Super Bowl pick. I love what Brees, Bush & Co. have done to reinvigorate the city of New Orleans. (See here.) I might be playing with my heart here, but here goes: Saints, 30-24.
Seahawks at Bears – I deliberate here as well because nobody knows which Chicago will show up. For the first 6 weeks of the season, the Bears mauled their competition so thoroughly, it was whispered that they might rival the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. That prediction looks almost laughable now. They’re banged up on D and Rex Grossman continues this maddening Jekyll & Hyde routine. I’d like to pick the upset here but the Seahawks depleted secondary makes that problematic. In the end, the Bears ability to run the ball against the ‘Birds should make the difference. Bears, 13-10.
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On a separate note, Jack Bauer returns this weekend to grace our homes with gratuitous violence, counter-terrorism hijinks and nick-of-time heroics. I vowed last year would be my last after the ridiculous plot line became just too much. I’ve been ripped for being critical of this “great” show that’s clearly jumped the shark. You want greatness? Check out Season 4. The series should’ve ended with a covertly-alive Jack walking off into the sunset to live out his days in anonymity in Mexico. Alas, the execs at Fox continue to milk the cash cow for all she’s worth. Let me save you people the trouble of watching this season: a seedy, idealistic terrorist group will apprehend some toxic chemical / nuclear weapon and with the assistance of a mole inside CTU (is this the most mole-infested organization on the planet or what?) will threaten to anihilate Los Angeles. At the 55 minute mark in each episode, we’ll be left to wonder, “Will Jack be able to save the day?” until dramatically, at the 11th hour, he swoops in and lives to save another day. This is “exhilirating” television. I’ll tell you what would be exhilirating: kill off Bauer. The show’s lost all plausibility because we know no matter how bleak the situation, Jack will wiggle, wrestle or steel-jaw his way out of peril. If the producers want to lure back long time viewers (like me), they should kill off Jack without warning. That’d be unpredictable. Maybe then I’d watch again.
already & not yet 
Bybee: Eagles beat N.O. and Indy over Balt….and Bauer lives for another 3 seasons.
I agree, Indy beats baltimore. But N.O. holds serve.And you are pushing me. Am I going to have to do another LOST-bashing post?
I’m sure Bauer will live as long as he’s pulling in ratings.I can see the Eagles maybe winning in NO, but I doubt Indy can win in Baltimore. I’ve often thought the only thing holding Baltimore back was inconsistent QB play. Now they have a winner back there (although he’s pretty creaky). I see Baltimore with just enough offense to win.
LOST & 24 are like apples & oranges. But you can bash LOST if you like. Seriously, you know I’m right. I was right about Con Air, wasn’t I?
Every once in a while, its a good idea to watch some mind numbing action television. While I’ll agree that Seasons 1-4 were definitely better than 5, I think some will have to agree also that Seasons 2 and 3 were no where as good as 1 and 4. Every show has a down season.I predict something a little different this year. Maybe the hostage situation will develop into a humanity/non chemical type threat instead of a chemical type threat.Dude, you just can’t bash the show you are responsible for getting me to watch. That’s like Obi Wan bashing the force.
Oh yeah, its good to see pics on your site again!
Yeah, thanks for helping me solve the problem yesterday!As for 24, I thought about you as I wrote this. It was a little over a year ago that I was extolling to you the greatness of 24. It’s still OK…it’s just that it used to be so good to me. Sunny’s really wanting to watch, though. I’ll probably give in. I just like to bother Freeman.
Do not watch it, you hater.From everything I hear this season is going to be great. After 2 years in China, Bauer is a broken man.
How do you get your catagories to come up on the side?
Kenny, open up your dashboard and click “Add a Page Element”. One of the elements you can choose is called “Labels”. I just renamed mine “Categories”.
Scott,Who wants to watch a broken Jack Bauer? That’s great television?
I just find it hard to believe that you watch LOST and build it up so big and then say tha 24 is unrealistic… To me, that’s like poop calling a sunset ugly…When it comes down to it, it’s a television show. Unrealistic things are going to happen. It doesn’t bother me. I LOVE it. I will write in Jack Bauer on my ballot in ’08. I appreciate it for what it is: a prolonged thriller and action movie with the greatest television character of all time.You want them to kill the most beloved character on the show, but you got upset when they killed 3 other characters. I was ticked Palmer, Michelle, and Tony got killed, too, but killing all the people around Jack that he loves makes things more interesting. To me, him continuing shows how much he cares about his country. I think he presses on so others won’t have to experience what he has and to me THAT’S what makes it interesting.I’ve planned my spring semester classes around 24 for the past 3 years, and I will keep doing so, because I still think it’s the best show ever.There’s my two (or ten) cents. I still love ya though!
Everybody check this out:http://fox.com/24/images/24_stephen_king.pdf
I never said LOST was realistic. It happens to fall more in the sci-fi fantasy camp than 24, which is pure action-drama. Thus, I’m more willing to suspend belief there. But we’re talking apples and oranges here. Part of the allure of LOST is you’re trying to figure out what the heck is going on.I didn’t get fed up with 24 simply because it’s unrealistic. (It was unrealistic in Season 2, when they dropped a nuke over Utah or wherever it was.) I didn’t get fed up when they (gasp) killed off some of the “major” characters. The only unexpendable character is Bauer, which is my whole point. The only thing they could do to surprise me at this point is kill off Kiefer. He is a great character, though. Not sure he’s the greatest of all-time. I’d probably go Ed Norton on that one. Maybe even Costanza.
I did just read an early review from someone who said that the first 4 episodes of 24 are going to be unlike any other. Apparently the months of torture Jack suffers while going to China do a number on him, and he is a completely different character. Rumor has it that the last few minutes of the 4th episode are the best minutes of 24 up until this point.
But if you kill Jack, what do you have? Jack Bauer IS 24. I just don’t think it would be the same. While I would respect the unpredictability, it just wouldn’t be the same. I mean, that would be worse than switching Darrens on “Bewitched”. That would be like “Everybody Loves Raymond” without Raymond.
I know. I’m just saying there’s nothing more that could happen that would surprise me.